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Tips on keeping your isomalt clear - Page 3

post #31 of 60
4/18/10 at 9:34am
They can be made real far ahead in advance. I have some that I made a year ago and keep in a cool , dark , tin round. don't put plastic with them and make a tent in the tin. Use Butcher paper from the grocery store or etc. Plastic is a ememy to isomalt, as I have been told? Also if they get cloudy just use a little vetegable oil or cooking spray lightly and that will restore them. Also I have been told but haven't tried it yet, is you can put a hair dryer heat on them . It helps put the shine back on them also as I understand. Not much heat, just a little . Also handle with cotton gloves , so you don't leave prints on them. Hope this helps, Happy Cake Decorating. thumbs_up.gif
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post #32 of 60
4/18/10 at 12:03pm
Great info--thanks!

I have used isomalt alone before and it was slightly cloudy, so I am hoping the addition of corn syrup will help!
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post #33 of 60
6/30/10 at 7:56pm
I just used isomalt for the first time today and have some questions. Does using water make them sticky? Is it better in the microwave or stovetop? Also, I poured the melted sugar over ice to make a natural looking piece of coral. Is there a better way to do that? Any info on this stuff would be awesome!
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post #34 of 60
6/30/10 at 8:05pm
I also meant to ask about storage? Does putting it in the freezer do anything for it? And when doing it in the microwave, use a glass container, correct?

I'm totally green with this stuff and really want to master it. It's awesome....from what I see.
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post #35 of 60
6/30/10 at 8:09pm
Great tips - thanks everyone for sharing.
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post #36 of 60
7/1/10 at 3:52am
Thread Starter 
Hi danf161 -- to store your sugar pieces, you just put them in an air-tight box preferably with some of those silica gel packets (the kind that sometimes come with new shoes or vitamins) to keep the humidity away. I always heard NOT to store them in the fridge or freezer because they'll start to disintegrate (heard that on Cake Boss), but I put one piece in the fridge one week for an experiment and nothing happened...maybe it depends on how fragile the piece is? Don't know...

You can also make free-form ice by pouring the sugar onto non-stick aluminum foil. Crumple of the foil, then UN-crumple it so it's bumpy and then fold up the edges so to keep the sugar from running all over. Make sure to use the NON-STICK foil or else it won't come off. Works great!

When you asked about using water, do you mean mixing water with the isomalt in the beginning of the process? As far as I know that does not make it sticky. Some recipes call for water and it's fine. I was taught not to bother using water but I'm not sure what the reason was.

Hope that helps!
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post #37 of 60
7/1/10 at 4:48am
Diane that helps a lot. I used water merely because the recipe I found called for it. Any tips on how to NOT make it so sticky or do I need to accept the fact that it's candy? Also, what's the best method to cook it with WITHOUT using water? Microwave or stovetop? Do I have to use white corn syrup to cut it, so-to-speak, or can I try to melt the crystals by themselves?

Sorry for all these questions at once. I'm trying to get this right. Ever since I saw Buddy use it for his Aquarium cake (Cake Boss) I've been wanting to try it for myself. I played a little bit using the water method on the stove top in the saucepan and it came out nice. The red color paste took really nicely. I'll get a picture on here. I lost a drinking glass in the process thumbsdown.gif but I guess it's all in the name of experimenting. Too bad my wife doesn't agree with that. lol.
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post #38 of 60
7/1/10 at 5:03am
Here's my first attempt at isomalt colored with red gel. This was in the freezer overnight. It's pretty damn sticky.
LL
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post #39 of 60
7/1/10 at 5:58am
Thread Starter 
Your coral looks awesome! Great job!!!

I would suggest definitely trying your next batch with just the isomalt alone--no water. And I'm guessing that putting it in the freezer attributed to the sticky-ness. I'm curious as to why you feel you need to put it in the freezer? Everything I've heard says not to refrigerate or freeze--you must keep the humidity away from it. Keep it out of the freezer.

Personally I prefer the stovetop method and then keeping it warm in the oven in between pouring (while I'm waiting for the first mold to set up so I can use it again) What kind of drinking glass were you using that you ruined? If you use glass, it should be clean-able--put it in the dishwasher
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post #40 of 60
7/1/10 at 12:14pm
Thanks. I'm gonna try it right now before work to see what turns up.

I used a regular old drinking glass. The problem was I couldn't release it from the sides of the glass and I was getting frustrated....also, I cracked the glass from banging it on the counter trying to get it to release from the sides. Oh well. Any suggestions for it NOT to stick to sides? Stainless steel?
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post #41 of 60
7/1/10 at 12:25pm
Thread Starter 
Do you mean you couldn't get it to release from the glass when you were cleaning it or when you were pouring it into the mold/ice? If you were trying to clean it, just put it in the dishwasher--The hot water will clean it. Or just keep running hot water into it--it melts off
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post #42 of 60
7/1/10 at 12:51pm
Kinda. I was trying to get it out of the glass so it was in it's form, by itself. Make sense? I was using the glass as a holder for the ice which was my "mold".

Good tip about the cleaning though. That will make my life MUCH easier next time.
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post #43 of 60
7/1/10 at 12:55pm
Thread Starter 
Ahhhh....I see. Well I would suggest lining the class with the non-stick aluminum foil next time--I think that would work well...
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post #44 of 60
7/1/10 at 10:59pm
Wow. You probably could have heard me call myself an idiot for something THAT simple. lol. I will never forget that step now. icon_biggrin.gif
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post #45 of 60
7/2/10 at 3:32am
Thread Starter 
LOL! icon_biggrin.gif
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